Merlin's Law
by Once-and-future-pendragon
Summary: When a link has been made between the darkness & the light, Arthur finds himself in a situation that means he loses either way. With this, both Arthur & Merlin have to make decisions that would effect not only Camelot but their friendship forever. Magic's closing in on them & the laws of sorcery, friendship & Kinghood is proving the defeat of Morgana and Mordred to be unimaginable.
1. Chapter 1

"Morgana."

She lifted her head. The voice that was behind her invaded her empty heart and painted its walls with a warmth that was rare to her these days. Sitting in the cave with only the dampness and the echos of dripping water for company wasn't pleasant. She was succumbed to living in a dirty, dark cave while her brother sat on her throne and paraded the halls of her castle. The only thing she could ever look forward to as she waited for her rightful place to be returned was that voice.

"Mordred?"

"Yes."

She leaped from the rickety chair she had stolen from a lonely cottage in the woods before throwing herself at the young man standing in the leak of light that reflected off his dark tousled hair. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly to her as he returned the embrace until, finally, she pushed him back to look him up and down.

He was fine. Not a bruise was on his body nor were there any cuts. He was undamaged and safe and still cladded in chain mail and a rich red cloak bearing the Camelot cress. The plan was still in action then.

"I did it. I bring you his blood." He said reaching into his armour. He pulled out a flask which he pinched between his fingers and dangled in front of her. A smile stretched across his face. "No one suspects a thing."

Without breathing, Morgana tore the flask from his hands and brought it to her eyes, suspecting the dark red liquid that struggled within it's glass prison. It was fresh. It was screeching with life. It was riveting with a soul that was oozing with love.

It was just asking to be used.

"How did you do it?" her voice came out as a whisper as her breath slowly came back to her. "How did you get it?"

"Lets just say if Arthur keeps persisting on using his servant as a dummy for our training then an accident was bound to happen eventually and it was going to be no ones fault but his own."

"How badly did you hurt him?"

"Enough. I sliced his side with my sword but only lightly. Gaius was able to heal him in no time and I lent my '_humbl_e services' enabling me to wash the wound and transfer any blood I soaked up into this nice little tumbler that, unbeknown to him, Gaius lent me."

"What would I ever do without your Mordred?"

"Funny, Arthur said the same thing to me only earlier."

Morgana scoffed letting her laughter dance on her tongue as she turned to the bowl that sat on the ground among dry autumn leaves. "My poor, oblivious, brainless idiot of a brother. What have you let yourself in for?"

With a slight tip of her wrist, she poured the red water into the bowl. It bounced and swayed and leaped for the edges but not a drop managed to escape. Then, after a few more gentle turns, it stilled.

"Now me?"

She looked back at Mordred who stood directly behind her, watching the blood from over her shoulder. His hand was raised and he held a dagger above his palm. His eyes caught hers. They were so sure and ready without any hint of doubt within them. They were the same, loving blue eyes of the little boy that once saved her life. He was still the same lost little boy who had been wronged and hurt by Uther and his laws. He was her family. He was only person left on this earth that she cared about. This was going to hurt him, but it could save his life and bring back what once was theirs.

They nodded to one another.

Then Mordred stabbed the dagger into his hand.

He pulled the blade down through his flesh. His lips tightened but apart from that he showed no evidence of pain. Once he opened his palm he pulled the blade out and squeezed his hand into a fist above the bowl letting his blood drip and join the awaiting blood.

"_Mestura de sangue, e se funden."_ Morgana began to hiss. _"Deixe súas almas se unen e se fan un." _The bloods jumped and prowled like oceans at war. The pool of blood at her feet had become alive and it screamed and tore into itself. The redness that it once was began to vanish as the blood turned black like tar. "_Deixe a súa vida ser o seu e da súa vida ser o seu."_ Suddenly the fighting seemed to stop and it turned thick and sticky. It seemed to try and release itself and pull away from the bowl but it couldn't. Then it screamed once more. _"A morte como se trata dun vir ata!"_ And then died – the blood thinned once more, turning back into a liquid that was now still, black, dead water. "It's done."

"You did it Morgana. I knew you would."

She turned to Mordred. Glee shone from his face with excitement and pride. She felt her lips turn into a smile too, a new feeling stirring within her. Confidence. That was what it was. Confidence and eagerness.

"I did." She grinned, "And now if you were to die, so would Merlin, and my dear brother won't have that. We have Arthur right where we want him. We're undefeatable."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

His boots hit the ground, splashing into the puddles that spotted the path they took. He could feel the water slowly making its way up his sock with every impact his foot made with the ground. He knew he needed a new pair of shoes. This was just proof of that. Now every time he pressed his foot down he was pushing his foot into the damp, soggy wet wool of his socks.

Merlin sighed.

"What wrong, Merlin?" Above him, Arthur was sitting on his horse finally pulling it to a stop after a long run home, "I thought you'd be pleased. We're home now."

There was a mocking tone to the Kings voice that only brought irritation to Merlin. He felt as though pins were dancing in his sides and he could feel his feet stiffen beneath him while Arthur hopped off his horse with that cocky grin of his.

"Oh, Merlin, you look like you've been through hell." Arthur's smile grew, "I thought hunting was your favourite pass time?"

He glared Arthur then, "Ha, ha. Hilarious. You know, you lot must be the only ones in the whole of the five kingdoms insane enough to think hunting in this weather is a good idea."

"When else should we hunt?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe when it's warmer, less rain battering off our faces, sun splitting the sky!" Arthur rolled his eyes but Merlin continued, "I'm freezing! It's damp and it's cold and we've been trailing through mud and puddles after last nights storm. I'm soaked! Not to mention the fact I've been up all night polishing that armour which I'm going have to do again tonight. And, as I said to you this morning, I have a hole in my boot so now my feet are wet and I can't feel my toes!"

"You, Merlin, are no fun."

"It's alright for you! You had a horse to get you there and back. Mordred stole mine and never came back."

Arthur looked over Merlin's shoulder then with his eye brows raised. There was concern in his expression and there was disappointment in the knights that looked back at him. "Leon? Have you heard anything yet?"

"I followed at the back like you said." Was Leon's reply, "None of the knights you sent out to find him have returned. There has been no sign of him."

There was a quick exchange of glances among the knights. Now the mood matched the weather. All morning they were acting careless, as if they were children free of any sadness or horror, playing at games where they laughed like it was summer. Yet now, at the mention of Mordred's name, the whole performance was shattered and the realism took over.

That was the whole point in the hunting trip: to take their minds off the disappearance. It wasn't sinister to any of them – not really – but there were many whispers going around. Rumours were floating the castle after Mordred took off the night before. He had been laughing with Sir Leon and the others in the Tavern. The next morning he was gone along with a horse.

Merlin had heard so many rumours: he had a secret lover outside town, he had been kidnapped by an opposing kingdom, he had ridden out to slay a dragon…There were so many and they just grew the later in the day it got. Eventually, just to be on the safe side, Arthur sent out a patrol to search for him. He'd sent them out this morning just before they left for the hunt which, in truth, was really just an excuse to hunt for Mrodred too while trying to kid themselves into believing everything was okay.

They were all so worried about him. He was youngest of the knights and they all took him under their wing like their own little brother. To every single one of Camelot's men Mordred was their responsibility and right now, with not one of them knowing where he was, they had failed.

Merlin on the other hand wasn't concerned about him. Not like they were. He was more concerned on what he was doing rather than his safety. He knew the truth. He knew who Mordred really was and he wasn't going to be fooled like Arthur. Whereas none of the knights knew of Mordred's druid roots, Arthur and Merlin did. Mordred had so conveniently 'saved' the Kings life and so Arthur had declared Mordred a fellow knight of Camelot despite his magic and, to respect Mordred's wishes, he told no one of Mordred's true origin.

Now Arthur trusted Mordred. Merlin didn't trust him in the slightest. He noticed the evil glances, the scoffing at Arthur's bravery, the deliberate mistakes he made in battle, the glow on his face at any failed fight and whenever Merlin noticed, Mordred would turn to him smugly.

Merlin had no idea how his secret had survived this long with Mordred in town…and that was what terrified him the most.

"Merlin! Merlin!" He jumped when Arthur's gloves made impact with his head.

"uh, Yes…sire?"

He looked at Arthur who was now staring at him suspiciously, "You've been at that saddle for the past ten minutes. What's wrong with you?"

Suddenly Merlin was award of the buckle between his fingers and the knights dissipating around him. He looked back at Arthur, "Sorry."

"You don't look so good."

"I'm probably coming down with the cold after been dragged out into the mud." He hit back. He was hoping to sound frustrated like he had been before and make go through the routine they normally did. He waited for Arthur to tell him to 'Shut up' or to send him on extra chores but Arthur just straightened up. He lifted his head so he was looking down at Merlin, knitting his eyebrows in the process. Arthur was questioning the attitude. He could see the questions on Arthur's face even as he turned back to the saddle and the question seemed to grow between them as Arthur wondered and Merlin continued to avoid the subject. That was until Arthur tried to speak again:

"Merlin, I know how you feel about Mordred but-."

"I didn't say anything this time."

"You didn't have to. Your face says it all."

Merlin bit on his tongue. He wouldn't reply. He wasn't going to get into this again.

Arthur sighed beside him. "He's not like Morgana. He isn't…you know…he doesn't use his magic against us - against any one."

He wouldn't say anything. He _couldn't_ say anything. He had to hold it all back no matter how much the words screamed to be let out.

"I know you don't trust him. You've told me way too many times for me not to know that, but I _do _trust him."

It was all he could do to not to remind him of Agravaine.

"Not all magic's evil Merlin. You'll all see that my Father was wrong one day."

He bit down on his tongue harder and turned away from Arthur completely. Arthur was stupid. He was so stupid. The irony of him saying _that _to Merlin. There was rage rushing through him. He wanted to yell and scream and hit him hard across the head to knock this vision of Mordred out of him and for not seeing Merlin for who he truly was.

It was pointless though. He had tried it all before and kept on trying until he realised it was no use. Arthur was always going to see Mordred as a hero and Merlin as a servant.

Arthur gave him a friendly slap on the back, "He'll be back without any harm on himself or Camelot. You'll see. I'll see you at banquet tonight. Right now, my lady awaits me."

He watched as Arthur ran up the steps towards Gwen who stood beautifully in her gown fit for a queen before Arthur scooped her up in his arms. He could hear them giggling and he could see Gwen's face light up as Arthur looked down at her as if she was the only other person around. They were so happy. Everyone was right where they should be. Camelot was in amazing shape. Arthur had finally found his place as King. Gwen was now comfortable with who she was and what she meant to people.

Everything was fine and Mordred was going to destroy it.

He was going to kill Arthur and Merlin had no idea how to stop him. He had to do something. He couldn't wait any longer. He had to stop him.

Then it happened.

"Arthur!"

They all turned. Arthur, Gwen, Merlin, the guard's and the knights that stayed behind all turned towards the voice. They all turned towards the voice that was Mordred's.

He stood there with blood stained hands, a blood stained sword and blood stained armour, swaying on the spot with only his sword as support.

"They're coming." He breathed, his eyes rolling as he did so, "Morgana and he men. They're coming."

Then he fell to the ground.


End file.
